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It had been a week, one full week, since Steel had last seen his mate. It was hard to not be angry all the time, and the elder high-alpha was constantly fighting back his own frustration, sadness, and rage. The only consolation to this whole journey was that the slow march through the Shadow-Singer lands had been relatively uneventful. There were plenty of coyotes to kill every day, but unlike the mindless assault of the Black-Claws the Shadow-Singers seemed to attack with more strategy and precision.

It was after one such attack, shortly after mid-day, that Moon and Snow sought out Steel and Dire-Fang at the front of the war band. "Steel," Moon said sternly with a slightly annoyed tone to her regal voice. "I don't usually point out the obvious, but I believe these brief attacks have been an attempt at probing our defenses."

For a moment Steel didn't acknowledge the female, but when he could smell her annoyance he turned to look at her. "And?" Steel said gruffly as he waited for the she wolf to continue.

Snow broke the tense energy in the air when she continued in place of her sister. "We have been discussing the possibility that the Shadow-Singers were not prepared for us to survive the fight against their army of undead abominations." Snow said as she looked first at Steel and then to Dire-Fang. "What if they are probing our defenses because they know no way to defeat us yet?"

"That is unlikely," Night-Runner said as he emerged from the darkness of the forest and joined the elders. Behind the coyote came the twins who looked rather shocked to see that they had unknowingly burst into a conversation between the nobles. "While the Shadow-Singers may not be physically strong, they are no less dangerous. In fact, there is no known way to defeat them in their own lands."

"Our howls can disrupt their shadow magic," Dire-Fang growled. "What more can they hope to use against us?"

"That may be true," Night said slyly, "but Black-Howl is half wolf himself, and he was the one who taught us all how to use the shadow powers." Night seemed to pause as he looked at the elder wolves. "However, I suspect that Black-Howl still has one fatal weakness that was always his downfall when dealing with his brothers..."

"Stop pawing around the bush Coyote!" Steel growled angrily. "What is this weakness you speak of?"

Night paused, as if he wanted to create tension, and smiled a sly coyote smile. "Black-Howl believes he is the rightful ruler of the gray wolf lands, because he is half gray-wolf himself. He's about the size of a normal wolf warrior, but he has spent countless hours perfecting dark magic that allows him to change shape like a long-fang can. He claims that when he defeats you, Steel-Fur, that your death will make him the gray-wolf high-alpha. Then he claims he will become a long-fang somehow."

"What do these mad ravings have to do with his weakness?" Snow asked impatiently.

Once again Night forced the wolves to wait for his answer. He seemed to enjoy doing that... "He is blinded by his own pride..." Night finally said and sighed. "He refused to fight alongside his brothers and simply overwhelm your pack. But now that his brothers are dead he may be forced to face you after all. It's obvious he can't win in a one on one fight, so he is probably preparing some sort of devious plan to defeat you all..."

"Whose side are you on dog!" Steel growled angrily causing the cocky coyote to tuck his tail and cower from him.

"I am on your side, my lord," Night whimpered. "But you must know that you cannot defeat Black-Howl by yourself. Alone your howls are not strong enough to fight his shadow form."

"Than how do we turn the tables on him?" Ruff asked quickly and looked to his twin.

"Yea!" Tuff said excitedly. "How do you out trick the trickster?"

Night smiled as he looked around at the elders. "This is why the clan-mother sent me to help you. I have been told who among your number can defeat him, and how we can turn his own shadow powers against him."

...

"I don't like this plan," Steel growled softly as he and Dire-Fang led the war band through the twisting mist of the unnatural coyote lands. Every step deeper into these dark lands brought Steel closer to a foe that he had been told he could not defeat. The trees in these parts were barely alive at all. Black and purple leaves seemed to drink in what little light fell on the surreal landscape surrounding the pathway Night led the wolves down. If not for the young coyote this twisting dark labyrinth of a forest would have surely swallowed the wolves up.

No scouts were allowed out now, Night had already proven that even a foot's distance from the group was enough to separate a wolf from the pack. And a lone wolf is a dead wolf in coyote lands. Somehow though, despite the very earth and sky seeming to have turned against the wolves, each night the moon could be seen through the branches of the black trees.

It was, by moonlight, that the wolves now traveled through the coyote lands. Night-Runner had told the elders that normally it would have been foolish to confront Black-Howl without the sun to weaken him, but the more advantages the half-wolf thought he had the less likely he was to flee. The wolves were counting on Black-Howl being foolish enough to confront them himself, and as they marched unimpeded towards his unholy clan-hold that possibility became more and more real.

The first signs of habitation greeted Steel and Dire-Fang as they entered a portion of woods that stunk of death and decay. A visible low-hanging miasma twisted a whirled about the paws of the wolves as they entered the fel den site. A low sloping hill abruptly jutted out of the forest, and Steel signaled for the other wolves to stop as he and Dire-Fang stepped onto the hill. They were firmly standing on Shadow-Singer lands this very moment, yet not a single coyote could be seen...

Once The two high-alphas reached the top of the hill they noticed a lone figure sitting on a jagged ebony stone outcrop that looked out over the hill. "Welcome High-Alphas!" A surprisingly low and almost pleasant wolfish voice called out. "What brings two of the strongest high-alphas to my the humble Shadow-Singer den?"

"Black-Howl!" Steel roared angrily. "Release your prisoners and end this conflict! It's not too late to have peace between our clans!"

A haunting laugh echoed through the shadows around the alphas, and even around the wolves watching from the bottom of the hill. "Why?" Black-Howl finally said as he laughed hysterically. "Why come to my den and demand I relinquish my most treasured possessions? You have won mighty Steel-Fur! You defeated two of the four clans that make up all the shadow coyotes in the world!"

"Release them!" Dire-Fang roared angrily. "Give us back our cubs!"

Black-Howl seemed confused when Dire-Fang said cubs, but his scowl was flickering and brief. "What do I gain if I do?" He asked slyly.

"I will fight you for the honor of high-alpha!" Steel roared. "I challenge you to a Ru-tull under Luna's light!"

"A ritual fight for the position of high-alpha of the gray-wolf clan?" Black-Howl growled angrily. "You taunt me with something that is not rightly yours to give Steel, but I will humor your request... I accept!"

Without another word Black-Howl let loose a blood curdling battle howl and his very body seemed to expand as muscle and bone twisted and cracked beneath his fur. In mere moments he was Steel's size and quickly growing larger. The shadows around the clan-hold began to pour into the half-wolf's body as all traces of light faded from his darkened black form. Only the faint outline of ebony black fur and blood-red eyes were visible as the monster that was Black-Howl continued to grow larger and more dangerous by the second.

"Luna help me..." Steel growled as he summoned all his rage and anger. He too began to grow larger and larger until he was nearly eye to eye with the massive shadow-beast standing before him. Unfortunately for Steel, the horrific nightmare that Black-Howl had become was still shaped more like a feral wolf than Steel's two-legged long-fang shape.

The massive shadow beast looked Steel in the eye as they both finished changing and chuckled. "I expected more from the legendary Steel-Fur!" Black-Howl growled as he lunged and tackled Steel.

The two massive beasts slammed together in a bloody contest of strength, their titanic bodies rolled down the hill and right towards the other wolves. Thankfully Dire-Fang shouted for the pack to scatter and reform near him. Unlike the battle with the humbaba skeleton, Steel could expect no help from his brother's clan. However, that wasn't to say Dire-Fang didn't have a trick under his paw. While Steel wrestled the huge monstrous shadow beast the wolves began to howl the first chords of their song to Luna. Like magic the moon became intensely bright in the night sky, but the extra light only made Black-Howl laugh. It was obvious that the howling magic and moonlight were not enough to make a difference in the fight.

Steel roared in pain as Black-Howl briefly over powerd him and sank his black fangs into the gray-wolf's meaty shoulder. The huge long-fang fell to his knees with a ground shaking thud as the two titans separated. "Is this the best you could do Steel? Is this all the cunning and skill you pathetic wolves could muster?" Black-Howl asked as he stalked around the kneeling warrior before him. Steel was an incredible fighter, but Black-Howl was just too strong...

"No," Steel growled as his head whipped up to look at the red-eyed monster. "We have two wolves you didn't plan on being here..."

Black-Paw and Black-Fang emerged from the cloak of shadows where Night-Runner had been hiding them. "Do it now brothers!"

There had been precious little time for the two black-wolf descendents to learn from their new coyote teacher, but Night was at least as old as Black-Howl, and his rapid lessons on controlling shadows and shadow energy were effective and brutal in their simplicity. Black-Fang and Black-Paw closed their eyes and to the wolves around them they seemed to almost vanish again. However, it was obvious that they were pulling at the same shadows that Black-Howl had used to empower himself. "No... No!" Black-Howl roared as he struggled to pull his shadows back, but the half-blood black-wolves were simply too adept at even this simple shadow power. "Black-wolf blood! How can it be? They're all defeated! They're all mine!"

"We were never yours," The shadows around the two wolves and Night-Runner rumbled in a angry chorus of dark voices. It was more than a little surprising, even for Steel, to see the shapes of a half dozen wolves step out of the shadows. All these wolves were black as the darkest night, and their eyes were cold and angry. "You made a mistake letting these two wolves come here. With the shadow they summoned away from you we were able to step out of your prison and join our cousins in the fight against you!" The largest of the black wolves growled as the shadows that made up Black-Howl's monstrous form slowly drained away from him.

"No! I will be high-alpha! I will!" Black-Howl, now nearly half his former size, charged at the injured high-alpha kneeling nearby. Steel was the faster and more experienced warrior however, and as his foe charged him he shifted to his equally massive, yet more agile, wolf form. A loud snap and the crunch of bone was heard as Steel dodged and snapped his jaws down on Black-Howl's neck. In mere seconds what shadows remained on the half-wolf poured like liquid water from his lifeless body. Steel dropped the carcass of his opponent as he felt the strangest sensation sweep through him.

"I'm AM the high-alpha!" Steel snarled, tipped his head back, and howled a glorious victory howl. When the howl finished the six black-wolf males bowed to Steel. Soon all the wolves were bowing... even Dire-Fang nodded his acceptance of Steel's true ascent to high-alpha. There was no questioning his position or resolve now, Steel had fought the ancient Ru-tull and won! He was as much a high-alpha as any wolf that had ever lived and claimed that title.

Perhaps it was his pride at proving his worth, or maybe the faint hope that he had won his mate back, but when Steel looked at the six black-wolves his eyes held less anger and rage than usual. "My lord," The leader of the black-wolves said as he rose from the ground to look at Steel. "We would have never dreamed, not in our wildest dreams, that two clans of wolves would come here to free us!"

"We have come, and you are free now brother, but please tell me. Were the Shadow-Singers holding two young males with you? One would be a young noble, and his guardian a young warrior..."

The six wolves sadly shook their heads as they looked amongst themselves. "We six are what remains of four packs captured and imprisoned by the coyotes." The black-wolf said sadly as he closed his eyes and seemed to concentrate for a moment. "I sense no wolves beyond those who are with us now. The shadows hide no secrets tonight High-Alpha, there are no cubs here..."

Steel was heartbroken all over again. He nodded respectfully, but his will to go on was seriously lshaken at that moment. As the gray-wolf wilted Dire-Fang assumed the responsibility of sharing information with the black-wolf clan. Nobody wanted to risk Steel's anger, but Silver-Fang stayed by the alpha's side while his mate spoke to brothers he didn't know he'd ever had.

Black-Fang and Black-Paw found themselves standing alone with the black-wolf pack as the eight wolves explored each other through the shadows around them. "You have come from a long long ways away brother." The eldest black-wolf said to Black-Fang. "Your blood... it is old and powerful... royal... you are a prince among our kind, and perhaps an heir to the high-alpha himself."

"How can that be?" Black-Fang asked in shock. "I was born on another world! I was... I am..."

"You are many things, and the keys to your past lie hidden beyond shadows that even our eyes can't pierce." The black-wolf said and shook his head. "When you finish this great journey, and perhaps many more after it, will you come find the family you left behind? We may not have the answer to how you came to be, but you may learn about part of who you are among us."

Black-Fang looked at the elder beside him and then at his mate beside Steel. "I will... I will come to find you when this story is over... but Steel... He needs every gray wolf he can get. Even if I am only half gray-wolf, I am part of his pack and clan."

The six wolves smiled and nodded amongst themselves. "We expected you to say as much." The six wolves walked over to Black-Fang one at a time and licked him as if he were a cub. "Just remember young prince, you will always have a place with our clan. Always."

With that the six mysterious wolves turned and walked away. Before they were even four or five feet away they vanished as mysteriously as they had come. Black-Paw shook his head and nuzzled Fang. "They accept you Fang," He said warmly. "Let's go make sure that high-alpha of yours is alright."

Steel wasn't alright, in fact he was crying softly while Dire-Fang, Red-Tooth, and Silver-Fang all tried to sooth him. Moon and Snow, surprisingly, kept their distance from the males. If Walker had been there he might have asked why the females were so indifferent towards Steel, but he wasn't there so nobody asked the two mysterious she wolves about their opinions.

Of all the wolves to dare approach Steel and speak, it was Brown-Snout and White-Ear who shamefully slunk towards the high-alpha. "My lord," Brown-Snout said gravely. "I have spoken at length to White-Ear... I want to make a blood oath to you Steel..."

"What are you talking about Brown-Snout?" Dire-Fang said gruffly as he looked at the two nervous wolves.

Brown-Snout held his ground as tears soaked his muzzle fur. "I was the one who saw the black coyotes! I should have followed them or at least tracked them before reporting! I... I swear on my honor... no I swear by Luna herself that I will not leave your side until we find Walker! I owe you my life Steel! Let me pay my debt to you!"

Dire-Fang stood aside so Steel could look at Brown-Snout. Surprisingly the huge gray-wolf stood and approached the smaller timber-wolf. Steel nuzzled Brown-Snout and then White-Ear too. "I do not hold you to blame Brown-Snout. You have done nothing but your duty, and blood oath or not you owe me nothing..."

"... however," Dire-Fang growled. "I will hold you to this promise Brown-Snout. Only Luna knows where this journey will take us..."

...

It took nearly four more days of rapid travel through the coyote lands to reach the Shadow-Coyote clan-hold. As the army of wolves approached the hold they howled for peace and an audience with the clan-mother. After a meeting of minds the wolves hadn't been able to agree on a course of action. Night-Runner had suggested the wolves speak to Moon-Singer, the clan-mother of the shadow coyotes.

Now, since they were already inside Shadow-Coyote land anyways, the whole war band made their way towards the coyote clan-hold. The shadows seemed empty now that the three deadly coyote brothers were dead, and even the graveyard where all the crushed bones had lain seemed emptied of the haunting pall that had been there before.

Shadow-Coyote Clan-Hold was, surprisingly enough, not too poorly constructed considering it was a coyote clan-hold. The burrows where the dogs lived were neatly arranged by rank along the hill side. It was clear that here, at least, the coyotes did not leave food to rot or defecate near their homes. The wolves were welcomed with freshly killed game and asked by polite guards to wait outside the hold while the clan-mother prepared for her guests. At long last the high-alphas and a few of their trusted friends were allowed into the royal warrens where the clan-mother waited.

The group consisted of both noble packs along with Brown-Snout and White-Ear. The wolves walked in pairs behind the high-alphas as the coyotes led them through the maze of caves to a large moss-lit cavern where Moon-Singer waited for them.

Upon arriving in the huge chamber a dozen large male coyotes, obviously the clan-mother's consorts, began a strange humming song that was haunting and soothing at the same time. At the end of the strange song the clan-mother stood and walked towards Steel and Dire-Fang. "Luna's greetings noble high-alphas." She spoke in a voice that could have belonged to a she wolf, but it was just a tad too high pitched. "Before anything is said between us, let me apologize for the actions of my late sons. I assure you that I did everything in my power to dissuade them from their unfortunate actions against your clan."

"We did not come to discuss politics or the past," Dire-Fang grumbled.

"Oh?" Moon-Singer said as she sat down to look up at the high-alphas.

Steel shifted shape enough for his hands to reach up and pull the ear-ring from his ear. "My mate and dire-fang's son went missing nearly two weeks ago. This ear-ring was found near the border between mine and Dire-Fang's lands. It was in the possession of a group of Shadow-Coyotes, but it is part of a set once worn by my mate..."

As Steel spoke Moon-Singer sniffed the ear-ring and frowned. "... soot."

"What?" Steel said as he was interrupted.

"This ear-ring smells quite faintly of soot. Did you not track the coyotes after recovering this object?"

Steel and Dire-Fang both sniffed the ear-ring and frowned as they detected the faint smell of soot and char too. "Why would it smell like soot?" Dire-Fang asked.

Moon-Singer laughed as she stood up, but her levity earned her a growl from the two alphas. "Any sly coyote can roll around in moist grass and soot... it makes them appear to have black fur."

"But why? Who would try to trick our clans into open warfare?" Dire-Fang asked angrily.

"That ear-ring has a twin, yes?" Moon-Singer asked. Steel nodded and cocked his head to the side. "The two rings sing a song from another place... I have never heard this song before... it vibrates softly though the air and creates the motion of the string. If you listen hard, very hard, you will find your answer."

"This is nonsense!" Moon growled from behind her alpha.

"The snow-wolf doesn't listen to her own instincts. She is complacent to sit and watch as the metal-furred alpha suffers, but she know in her heart who truly took her cub. Mothers often have a stronger sense of things than their mates..."

"Moon!" Dire-Fang growled and turned savagely on his pack mate.

After a long angry stare down between the two elders Moon growled and looked at the ear-ring. "The twin is to the northwest..."

Dire-Fang thought for a moment and then growled. "The Tuft-Scruff clan! How could I be so blind?"

"And the enemies of his enemies play him for the fool..." Moon-Singer returned to her bed and smiled at her guests. "Was there some other trinket you wanted me to look at, or are you leaving to find the missing cubs right away?"

Dire-Fang grumbled a polite farewell, but Moon-Singer spoke up again. "Steel-Fur!" She said just before the gray-wolf high-alpha turned away. "Do not bring your brother high-alpha on this hunt! He will only find the seed of his own downfall if he follows you... some fates are best left unknown until they strike and kill..."

Steel growled at the cryptic warning and followed the other wolves out of the cavern. He was mindful enough to put the ear-ring back in his ear before he left. Once everyone was outside and the elders had rejoined the war band Steel looked at the army of wolves assembled before him and smiled despite his somber mood. "My pack is leaving for Scruff-Tuft lands as soon as we part ways."

"Than I run beside you brother!" Dire-Fang growled as he turned to Black-Paw. "You will take Snow-Song and the rest of the warriors and scouts back to our lands and wait for our return."

"But Dire-Fang..." Black-Paw said as his ears laid back sadly and his tail drooped.

"I know you wish to run with us brother, but the females will need a male to breed them while I am gone. Red-Tooth will not leave me, so that only leaves you, my beta."

"I understand alpha," Black-Paw said and looked at Snow. "We will do as you say, and, Luna willing, your hunt will be over soon."

As the war band followed Black-Paw home two more wolves remained behind. Brown-Snout and White-Ear stood with Black-Fang, Red-Tooth, and the twins despite not having asked to run with Steel's pack. Regardless, Steel wasn't going to tell the two wolves not to follow him. "Dire-Fang." Steel said and looked at the wolves around him. "We may not return to your clan's lands for quite some time... are you sure you wish to run with my pack?"

Dire-Fang almost looked insulted by the question. "This mess was started by my own paw Steel. I will not rest until your mate and my son are safe again..." A low savage growl ripped out of Dire-Fang's mouth as he spoke his next words. "And if they are not well and safe when we find them I pity those who are responsible."

Steel nodded and looked at the wolves around him. Silver and Black-fang... the twins... Dire-Fang... Red-Tooth and Snow-Song... and finally Brown-Snout and White-Ear. They sure looked like a mixed up pack the likes of which had probably never ran together. The elder gray-wolf looked up at the sky and for a moment he couldn't help but to wonder if somewhere out there Walker and Swift were looking at the same sky... "Luna guide us..." Steel growled as he howled a hunting howl and led the group of wolves north and west, away from the Shadow-Coyotes and the nightmares the wolves had experienced in those dark lands. There was no telling how far away Walker was now, but somehow Steel felt as though his mate was at least one step closer to being beside him again. "I'm coming Walker... please be safe... I promise you I'm coming."